DISTRICT 11-2A Division I

Carlisle Indians (6-0, 1-0)

vs.

No. 5 Alto Yellow Jackets (6-0, 1-0)

7:30 p.m. Friday

Yellow Jacket Stadium, Alto

Coaches
  • Alto: Paul Gould
  • Carlisle: Rocky Baker
Last week
  • Alto: defeated Grapeland, 48-28
  • Carlisle: defeated Cross Roads, 50-6
Next week
  • Alto: at Cayuga, Oct. 23
  • Carlisle: vs. Grapeland, Oct. 23

Playmakers

Alto

 

  • QB Keenen Johnson, Sr., 6-0, 185 (126 carries, 1,404 yards, 20 TDs, 36-51, 537 yards, 7 TDs, 1 INT)
  • LB/RB Craig Collins, Sr., 5-10, 170 (50 tackles, 16 for loss, 4 sacks, 3 forced fumbles, 2 fumble recoveries; 55 carries, 402 yards, 6 TDs)
  • OL Luis Alvarado, Sr., 6-0, 260
  • DL Ra’Dedrick Woodson, Soph., 5-8, 250 (19 tackles, 15 for loss, 4 forced fumbles)
  • LB/WR Mikkah Hackett, Jr., 5-11, 180 (36 tackles, 20 for loss, 3 forced fumbles, 2 fumble recoveries; 12 catches, 215 yards, 3 TDs)
  • WR Jayren Whitaker, Soph., 6-1, 170 (10 catches, 170 yards, 1 TD)
  • DL Eduardo Rangel, Sr., 5-9, 215 (21 tackles, 9 for loss, 7 pass breakups)

 

Carlisle

 

  • WR/LB Rico Pereles, Sr., 5-10, 190
  • QB Collin Gray, Sr., 6-1, 180
  • WR Dalton Sanders, Sr., 6-3, 180
  • RB Michael Savalla, Sr., 5-9, 165
  • FB Cainan Wimberly, Sr., 6-0, 195
  • OL Caleb Wimberly, Sr., 5-10, 235
  • WR Dustin Perry, Jr., 5-8, 165
  • OL Josh Stevens, Sr., 5-10, 240

 

Just the facts
  • Alto will enter Friday's meeting ranked No. 5 in the latest Associated Press' Class 2A poll.
  • Carlisle received enough votes to be considered the poll's No. 13 team.
  • The Indians lost last year's meeting to the Yellow Jackets, 52-34. The decision tied for Alto's closest win of the season en route to an 11-1 overall record.
  • Alto quarterback Keenen Johnson, the ETSN.fm Offensive Newcomer of the Year in 2014, has 1,404 rushing yards through six games. He ranks second among local players regardless of classification and is No. 1 among 2A players.
  • Johnson holds FBS college scholarship opportunities from Louisiana-Lafayette and SMU as an athlete.
  • The Yellow Jackets defense has amassed 133 plays for negative yardage through six games. Junior linebacker Mikkah Hackett leads the way with 20 tackles for loss and six sacks.
  • Carlisle's defense averages about 13 points given up per game, which is better than Alto's 19.3 points per game.
  • ETSN.fm projected Alto to win District 11-2A Division I in August. The Indians were picked second.

Key matchup: Alto's Keenen Johnson versus Carlisle's defense.

Despite the Yellow Jackets' unreal defensive numbers, the Indians own the district's best defense through six games by 37 points. Only two teams have reached double digits against Carlisle and both of those opponents, Big Sandy and Overton, lost by at least two possessions.

But this is going to be the Indians' toughest outing of the entire regular season. No one has been able to contain Alto quarterback Keenen Johnson.

The signal caller has an East Texas second-best 1,404 rushing yards and has thrown for more than 500 yards en route to 27 total touchdowns. Carlisle will have to limit his production to keep its own offense from working late into the night.

Alto's closest game of the season was a 13-point win against Bullard Brook Hill.

Don't be surprised if: The meeting lives up to the hype. If Keenen Johnson has a normal day, there's still hope for the Indians. Carlisle's offense is the second highest scoring unit in the district and can limit Alto's possessions with time consuming drives. There are multiple routes the Indians can take to hold Johnson off his regular pace.

Carlisle's Rico Pereles. (Rob Graham, ETSN.fm)
Carlisle linebacker Rico Pereles. (Rob Graham, ETSN.fm)
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